Ford sales crown golden year for Transit

Transit highlights

First produced in August 1965
More than eight million Transit and Transit Custom models have been built
All Transits lined up end-to-end would circumnavigate the globe
More than 2.5 million Transits sold in the UK alone

FORD has sold more than 100,000 commercial vehicles for the year-to-date -the first time sales have passed six figures in a full year since 1989.

Ford CV sales for November were at the highest-ever level for more than 25 years, and more than double those of its nearest rival. Ford is on track to record its highest-ever commercial vehicle sales volume for 2015, following a record year in 1989 at 104,721 sales.

2015 marks the Ford Transit’s 50^th year of market leadership, and the first full year of sales for the expanded Ford Transit range since the Transit Courier was launched in mid-2014.

The Ford Transit’s 50^th anniversary has been celebrated throughout the year, with special reference to August 9, 1965 when the first Transit rolled off the production line at the Ford Langley plant. More than eight million Transit and Transit Custom models have been built since then, which lined up end-to-end, would circumnavigate the globe. More than 2.5 million of these have been sold in the UK alone.

Ford Transit and Ford Ranger sales are the highest on record for 2015, while Fiesta Van sales are at the highest volume since 1997. Transit Connect sales are also at their highest level since 2008.

The Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom alone outsell all but four vehicle models in Britain, and combined Transit nameplate models are ranked third in UK total vehicle sales for the year to date (end of November).

Andy Barratt, chairman and managing director, Ford of Britain, said: “The Ford Transit has been a staple commodity for Britain for half a century, and our commercial vehicle line up has never been stronger. Four commercial vehicles now carry the iconic Transit nameplate, and, together with Ranger and Fiesta Van, are on track to deliver our most successful year ever for CV sales.

“With the introduction of our Euro Stage 6 engines next year, designed, developed and built here in the UK, the Ford commercial vehicle range will be among the cleanest vehicles on the road today.”